MONTGOMERY, Ala.– In a match that featured 30 lead changes, 163 total points scored and three Auburn Montgomery individual game records set the Warhawks earned a thrilling 3-2 victory over West Alabama in Gulf South Conference volleyball action on Friday evening at the AUM Gymnasium.
 
NOTES 
- The Warhawks improve to 7-4 on the season with a 1-1 mark in the GSC.
- UWA drops to 5-9 with a 0-2 mark in league play.
- The victory for the Orange & Black was the first in program history over the Tigers. AUM is now 1-3 lifetime against UWA.
- AUM won the match 15-25, 25-23, 25-23, 21-25, 17-15.
- The Warhawks are now 3-1 in five-set matches this season.  
 
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Sophomore outside hitter Dariona Dash tallied a school record 23 kills in the match, hitting for an impressive .422 clip against the Tigers. Dash also recorded 12 digs, two block assists and two assists. She passes the old mark of 21 that teammate Skylar Coppinger set against Huntingdon College in 2017.
- Sophomore setter Isadora Nicolai set the school record for assists with 58 in the contest. She led the Warhawks to a .221 team hitting percentage in the contest. She also tallied 17 digs, two kills and one block assist. Nicolai breaks the record of former Warhawk Carly Smart who posted 51 against Huntingdon in 2017.
- Junior libero Carla Butler notched a school record 29 digs in the contest, breaking the record of former Warhawk Haley Toler. Toler tallied 28 digs against West Georgia in 2018.
 
QUOTING THE PLAYERS
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 
- The first set saw the Tigers run out to a 17-6 advantage before the Warhawks got their offense in gear. AUM would answer with an 8-3 run before UWA was able to break serve. A kill by Dash gave the Orange & Black the serve back but AUM could not overcome the early deficit, falling 25-15.
- The teams traded points back and forth in the second set before a 5-0 run in the middle of the frame gave the visiting Tigers a 21-15 advantage. After a pair of side outs AUM went on an 8-0 run capped off by a block by Jaylyn Felder and Giada Pais-Marden to go up 24-22. UWA was able to get the serve back but Felder would earn the set point for the Warhawks with a kill in the middle.
- Once again the teams traded points until 5-1 run by the Tigers gave the visitors a 16-13 advantage. AUM would claw their way back into the back to tie the score at 17-17 but a short run by UWA worsened the deficit to 21-18. The Warhawks rallied for four straight points highlighted by three kills in a row by Pais-Marden to go up 22-21. AUM outscored the Tigers 3-2 down the stretch to take a 2-1 set advantage, winning on a Dash kill from the outside.
- UWA jumped out to a 5-2 lead before the Warhawks rallied for four straight points to go up 6-5. After trading side outs the teams found themselves tied at 13-13. A 6-2 run by the Tigers gave the visitors a 19-15 advantage before a Dash kill broke serve. Each team scored six points the rest of the way which gave the Tigers a 25-21 victory and tied the match at two sets apiece.
- With the score tied at 2-2 in the fifth set Dash tallied three straight kills to give her squad a 5-2 advantage. Once again the teams went back and forth until AUM took a 10-6 lead. UWA would rally for six straight points to go up 12-10 before a Pais-Marden kill broke serve. The Tigers got to match point at 14-12 but another Pais-Marden kill cut the deficit to 14-13. AUM scored a pair of quick point to get to their own match point but UWA was able to stave off elimination and tie the set at 15-15. A kill by Pais-Marden gave the Orange & Black a 16-15 lead and a block by Dash and Felder would give the Warhawks the frame 17-15 and the match 3-2. 
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- The Tigers notched 70 kills while AUM tallied 69.
- The Warhawks tallied 97 digs while UWA tallied 94.
- Each team posted 66 assists.
 
For the latest on AUM athletics, find us on Facebook, Twitterand Instagram.